Willow Ridge Milestone

This thread is to introduce the pups to the outside world and the pack. @Daegal @Iseldir. All Ridge wolves are welcome. Come.mert the newest members of the pack.

The Ridge matriarch hadn't spent much time away from her pups since their birth. All her fears about being a mother had faded with each passing day as she cared for then. Though with the water situation being what it was she did worry about that but she wasn't going to stop her babies from hitting their important moments.

One of those had arrived that day. Their first day meeting their packmates and the new world that they would grow to live in. For her it didn't matter who their father was because she each one of them equally.

Avella poked her head out of the den first to ensure that they woukd be safe as they emerged. Then she stepped out into the warm air that they now lived with daily. A slight frown crossed her features before she looked back toward the mouth of the den. "Come with me children," she called back into the den, "Its time to meet your family."

(This post was last modified: Jun 05, 2022, 10:09 PM by Avella.)

The darkness of the den, the warmth and safety of his mother and brother and sister - this was all that the tiny pup knew. Sometimes there were other scents and sounds, and slowly he became more and more aware of a whole lot of something else. All of that was outside of his own little world. Each day, his curiosity grew, but something held him back, too.  

Today was different. His ma was calling him to follow her, out of the den. Even as her words made little sense to him, the beckoning tone in her voice was something deep and instinctual, stirring his sleepy round form into action. Dutifully the small pup stumbled after his mother, a small round shadow with round eyes, shining and full of questions.

Then he crossed into the light, and blinked in surprise. The light shone so brightly, the breeze tickled his fur, his nose tingled with the scents of wolves and willows, and the dead grasses prickled at his paws. It was all very overwhelming. He struggled to take any of it in, squinting in the strangely bright light as he hurried to stand between the familiar pillars of his mother's legs. The boy only wanted to be in his mother's shadow, close and safe. But she did not grant him the usual hiding place he sought at her belly, beckoning him to greet the day and the world that greeted him back with a million facets. His small jaws opened, as he played copycat with the new sounds that had spilled from his mother's lips "Fa-my!" he chirped.

Camden had been eagerly checking in on Avella, bringing her food and bringing her water in whatever way he could figure out to transport it. He came with his smooth words. There was a measure of pride masked behind his features when he arrived, rabbit in mouth, as the children took their first steps out of the den. It was truly a special time. He moved closer, setting the rabbit by the mother before he admired the children, that charming grin only growing with their presence. “They are growing so fast, mon Cherie.” He offered with a dip of his head in respect for his alpha and angel.

“And how about my angel? How does she feel today?” He asked, turning his attention towards her own health and wellbeing with concern because she was always going to be one of his top priorities. He really could not explain the spell she cast over his heart but then again he really wasn’t looking to explain it either. He merely wanted to explore it just as she did.

With that, his ears stayed on Avella while his eyes drifted once more to the children, watching with interest to see what their next move might be.

sorry baby girl but i can't tonight

(This post was last modified: Jun 05, 2022, 11:02 AM by Camden.)

She had been alive for three weeks now. A concept of time she did not yet understand and would not for quite some time to come.

The world for her had been muchly muffled and dark. The was a restless girl, always hungry and fighting her brothers for top teat. She enjoyed warmth, she enjoyed the sound of rain and the vibration her mother made when she growled under her breath when her children were acting too roughly.

This day she did not quite understand the words her mother was saying, but she left the den and Eve followed. Usually, another wolf would be there to stop her. An unknown guard at the gate. Today, none stopped her.

Nineve seized the moment, dashing past her brothers and out into the bright light of the day. Blinded by the sudden brightness, she stopped in her tracks and nearly toppled backward. Her puppy blue eyes (and they would stay as such) squinting at the light and she bellows out a low growl.

It was quiet, except for his sister's increasing attempts to leave the warm darkness. He never attempted to join her, though he squinted up at the patch of light each time she made her break. Today, however, their mother led the way, calling back to them to follow. For a moment Daegal hesitated; it was safe here, and familiar. He would be able to come back, right? He should be able to come back.

His siblings didn't seem nearly as concerned as he was, however. Eve rushed forward, shooting past their brother and into the light. Daegal toddled after, pausing to make sure she hadn't knocked Izzy over before slowly crawling the rest of the way from the den. He peered around the Brightness, blinking harshly until his eyes adjusted.

It was so big. There didn't seem to be an end. Even Eve seemed overwhelmed, sitting back and blinking. More than that, though, was the other adult standing beside mother, watching them. Daegal's head tilted and he scrunched up his nose. He recognized his smell - he was around a lot.

Daegal fully left the den then, fumbling over to sit next to mom and watch his brother and sister; he wanted to see how they liked the Big Outside before he went exploring himself.

Having spent most of his night out hunting with Hagar for the pack, Scully had dozed off under the shade of a nearby willow tree. It was where he most often slept these days, within shouting distance of his sister and her children should they need anything of him. He'd always been rather good with kids, but he couldn't deny the unique soft spot he held in his heart for his nieces and nephew. They were precious in a way no other whelps could be, given what they shared.

He stirred at the sound of voices, and arose after giving his long limbs a thorough stretching. His silver eyes regarded the children, above ground without their mother promptly ushering them back down the rabbit hole. Scully's tail wagged in great sweeps as he jogged over to the toddlers. They seemed hesitant with their newfound freedom, and he chuckled as he fluidly lowered onto his belly and crawled the rest of the way to them.

"Hey guys," he cooed, twitching nose nearing bold Nineve first.

Hagar snuck sleep in where he could, and while opportunities were scant, he was coping well enough with always feeling exhausted. Since his first allowed peek into the natal den, at the children that might share his blood, something new had blossomed to life within him. Avella had the sole right of dictating his ties to the whelps, but the feeling of fatherly affection and an overwhelming sense of duty and protectiveness had taken root inside of him regardless. He had not expected it, but he did not fight it either, for Hagar had never loved anything as deeply as he loved those three bundles of fur.

He carried a painted turtle's shell carefully betwixt his teeth, a small drink of water balanced within. It was something he'd figured out in his desperation for a way to help his leader stay hydrated, and had now become a routine. As the others came into view, his ears lifted attentively. The rabbit carcass could be scented nearby, and he deposited his own provision beside it so that the new mother could partake at her leisure. She was speaking with the newcomer, and so he greeted her wordlessly, pressing his cheek to her's and dragging his side along her's in passing with a low growl of affection rumbling in his throat.

Rather than interrupt them, he went to the children, mirth sparkling in his green eyes as he approached them, nose lowering to touch Daegal's crown and inhale his puppy scent.

(This post was last modified: Jun 05, 2022, 08:30 PM by Hagar.)